Bachelor: Brian Floyd

Bartender/Founder of The Barman’s Fund, 38 years old

By Madeline Hollern and Kimya Kavehkar

Published: July 28, 2014

Photography by Anthony Chiang

Mix Master

Floyd’s life revolves around libations—at least, his professional life does. The bartender whips up craft cocktails for Half Step and Qui and also cuts ice 20 hours a week, a job that he admits brings out his inner nerd. “Frozen water is my thing,” he says. “When you’ve got all of these cocktail bars that are trying to take it all the way—like, ‘How good can we make something? We’ve got the best glasses, we juice fresh every day, we make good stuff’—then ice is the next thing.”

Good Spirits

After hearing about the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake, Floyd decided one Friday night to donate all of that evening’s tips to people in need. The practice caught on, and in 2011 he created The Barman’s Fund, which features bartenders who pick one night a month to donate all of their tips to charity. The fund operates in five cities including Austin and has raised more than $200,000. All of the money goes toward purchasing goods such as diapers, medicine, food and supplies for worthy causes.

Change of Pace

Although he grew up in rural Mississippi, Floyd spent a decade in New York City as an actor. He loved performing, particularly in Shakespearean plays, but didn’t appreciate the stigma associated with his profession. “People always have this idea, like ‘Ohhh, you’re an actor,’ and it immediately colors what they think about you,” he says. Now that his theater days are over, he appreciates being back in a city that’s just the right size. “Austin is like you took New York and small-town Mississippi and smashed it together,” he says. “You have all of that opportunity, but the quality of life is outstanding.”